Musings

I’m not referring to the “Get Smart” agent, but to today’s high. And it may have been higher locally.

Not wanting to tackle an outdoor exercise experience in that situation, I tried this season’s “Feet and Calves” session on “Classic Stretch” with Miranda something-hyphenated on PBS. It turned out to be a 21-minute workout, and I repeated it twice later in the day. Now I can feel it in my glutes (and neighboring muscles), not in my feet and calves. My feet and ankles in particular need strengthening, I can tell.

Pretty sure that a walk, even in humid 70s early this morning, would have been less strenuous.

Posted at 6:49 PM | Comments Off on Ninety-nine

Back in this capital city, and at the perfect hour for seeing the dome from this angle. Lucky us. Plus buildings blocked the sun for where we waited for the bus, so the mid-90s temps were (somewhat) moderated. Missing the marine layer of this morning, however.

Posted at 9:27 PM | Comments Off on Torn between two worlds

Shy rose? Petal screening privates, you might say.

Shy Olympics? Clouds screening upper slopes and peaks. One gorgeous day, however.

Posted at 7:05 PM | Comments Off on Anthropomorphizing

So many lovely patterns in fern-world. Even the spines of the fronds have complexities.

I focused on the insect, and the whole photo looks mis-composed. My ID app says it’s a carpet beetle, Anthrenus species. On what I would call a potentilla, but apparently it’s not classified as a potentilla anymore, and is now a Dasiphora species and commonly called cinquefoil, a term previously used when it was a Potentilla species.

I know that taxonomists are turning to genetics for classification information, and finding groupings not recognized based on morphology and geography. Plus the Linnaean taxonomic system doesn’t have room for the hybrids and variations, etc., they can now distinguish. As I understand it.

For now, I’ll stick to looking for visual interest, as in the fern-patterns above, and avoid taxonomic mysteries.

Posted at 6:54 PM | Comments Off on Self-defense

Not for me, mind you, but for the younger nephew.

I’m going with the best part of the institutional event was the band, other than the awarding of diplomas. And, of course, the principal’s hat (not shown; use your imagination), a new one for each class…this one with a bonsai on top…a symbol of the resilience and adaptability and long life predominating in the energy of the Class of 2022, she said.

Here’s a pink palate cleanser: a peony processed with Waterlogue. Enjoy, as the servers say.

Posted at 10:13 PM | Comments Off on THE day

This morning’s walk became a walk to the sea…which was really this fine overlook, and not an actual walk to the water. And perfect, actually.

Then there was prolonged party prep, well, truly only a regular amount, and not taxing at all.

The most golden decorations were brought by dear friends of the guest of honor. We figure Seattle shops are out of 2s at this point, there are so many graduations this weekend.

Posted at 11:30 PM | Comments Off on Busy day, in a good way

We attended a HS version of Caen Laida, which the school maintains is a traditional moving-on ceremony of the Scottish highlands. This isn’t the graduation, but the fun stuff of celebrating individual accomplishments. Those are the seniors seated on the floor of the gym. The other three classes of upperclasspersons were in three sections of the risers. Parents and loved ones got to sit in the fourth section, soon to be occupied by the incoming freshmen.

For me, however, I experienced a bit more backless hard seating than I could easily tolerate. I’m still stretching after two hours of sitting. Now I’m resting up for graduation on Sunday.

Posted at 11:53 PM | Comments Off on Party tomorrow!

We had to leave this beautiful place today. Had to be done. Travel was fine, with minimal delays and bad drivers (around us, not us).

Posted at 8:27 PM | Comments Off on In transit

The morning sun center-targets this window, which is mostly terrific and sometimes situationally over-bright.

I am surprised these trilliums are still lovely, although they are showing a bit of age. In partial sun.

Posted at 7:09 PM | Comments Off on Light vignettes

The rain you see on this barberry was yesterday; the hummingbirds were today. No snap; they are busy creatures, zip zip gone.

Mesclun appears! Germination success! Only one of the seven advertized species/varieties, however, I’m hypothesizing based on that the plantlets all look like this.

Leaf miners in…I thought it was moss from standing above it…now, a close-up, hmm…dunno; I am not a botanist.

And, for grins, “way too much coffee.” It happens.

Posted at 6:26 PM | Comments Off on Two hummingbirds in a barberry